The article is devoted to answering the question “is it possible and how to wash a sheep’s wool blanket?” Very popular in the homes of our fellow citizens, sometimes we want to refresh these products or get rid of suddenly appeared dirt. Let's figure out how to do this correctly.
Types of sheep wool blankets
Today, the assortment of such products on store windows is quite large. In order to understand whether it is possible wash them, Let's first understand the terminology. Depending on the method of making the blankets are called:
- Closed – in them, specially treated sheep wool is sewn into a cover and quilted for better fixation. The finished product is essentially three-layer (fabric-wool-fabric). But based on the type of stitches, closed blankets, in turn, can also be called:
- Sewn in the traditional way - that is, with stitching done in one direction.
- Karosteps - with patterned quilting. It is believed that the wool in them is better fixed and “walks” less.
- Cassette blankets are quilted in the form of separate sections (cassettes), which are squares with sides from 10 to 15 cm. Among quilted products, this type is considered the most wear-resistant and low-deformable.
- Open type.There are also several types of these:
- Solid woven, that is, without a cover. These include lightweight blankets and more substantial double-sided wool blankets.
- Fur - they are made using natural sheepskin.
Should quilts filled with sheep wool be washed?
Most often, blankets made of sheep wool, if they are tucked into a duvet cover, do not require washing throughout their entire lifespan. Take a closer look at the label, where there are always instructions for care in the form of small drawings: no machine washable, nor spinning, manufacturers, as a rule, do not consider it necessary to allow. Usually, to care for a thing of this type, only airing is suggested and, if necessary, cleaning in specialized salons.
However, it is known that in order to avoid customer complaints, manufacturers deliberately lower the level of product strength. Quilts are successfully washed today. It is possible that such a product will shrink after water procedures, and if carried out and dried incorrectly, it may become deformed. But after overcoming all the difficulties, the blanket is completely washable at home. True, it is better not to do this often - in this case, damage to the product is inevitable.
What kind of difficulties await you when washing sheepskin quilts? Let's list them:
- It is most difficult to subject an all-season or winter product to the water procedure, with dense padding (300-400 g/m²). The wool filling will take on a lot of water when wet, and the blanket will increase in size and become very heavy. You can wash such a colossus in washing machine with no less than 5-6 kg bins for loading laundry.
- Most likely, you will need to rinse at least 2 times.
- There is a lot of water to be used.Nowadays, this moment should not be discounted either.
- Drying will be an additional problem - to prevent the wool from becoming tangled, you need to dry the blanket by laying it out on a flat surface, turning it over from time to time. Absorbent pad may be used
- Drying must be carried out until the item is completely dry, and this will take several days.
However, it is better not to subject products quilted in the traditional way to this procedure. When rinsing, wool that is not well secured can become matted in some places, and the blanket will look uneven - with bumps in some places, hollow in others. In this case, the heat-preserving functions of the product will also be disrupted. As for the karosteps, on the cover of which the needle forms slightly larger holes when sewing, these items may suffer from wool coming out of the holes after washing. According to reviews from owners, this happens quite often. You can safely wash only items sewn using the cassette method. However, in this case, the labor intensity and duration of the procedure described above remain fully intact.
How to wash a full-woven sheep's wool blanket or blanket
Manually
To do this you need to take the following steps:
- Whatever type of product you wash, at the preliminary stage you should knock it out, sew up any holes that may expand during washing, and remove stains, if any.
- Next, prepare a large basin or soaking tub and fill it with water. Its volume should be several times greater than the volume occupied by the blanket.
- Do not use hot water: the optimal washing temperature is considered to be no higher than 30°C.
- Dissolve the selected detergent and lather the water well.
- Dip your blanket or blanket into the washing solution.
- You can move the product slightly, lowering or raising it, so that it gets wet better. For particularly dirty areas, a soft brush can be used. But in order not to destroy the pile structure, it is better not to rub or squeeze the fabric with your hands.
- The optimal period of time for soaking is no more than 15-20 minutes.
- Then remove the blanket and empty the dirty water from the basin.
- Rinse it thoroughly in clean water. Pour new portions until the foam completely disappears.
- Before you start drying the product, leave it in the bathroom to drain the water.
In the washing machine
Although it is preferable to use the manual method for washing, it is quite suitable for washing and automatic machine To do this, try to comply with a number of important conditions and notes:
- The item that needs to be washed should not completely occupy the drum - preferably no more than 2/3 of the volume.
- The washing temperature must be set to the same as when washing by hand - that is, no higher than 30°C.
- Use the most gentle mode of operation of the device (any gentle mode or “Wool” - if there is such a button). Turn off the spin function.
- It is also not recommended to use fabric softener And bleach.
- As a detergent, it is best to choose a special gel for wool.
- After finishing the wash cycle, you should let the blanket sit in the machine so that excess water drains into the tank.
Finally, remove it and, without squeezing it, hang it in a ventilated place. It is advisable to avoid direct sunlight.It is not recommended to place a damp blanket over heat sources (for example, heating radiators) or over switched-on gas burners. This is not only unsafe, but can lead to deformation of the pile.
How to choose a detergent
When choosing, you should give preference to a liquid product - gel or balm. Pay attention to the composition: it must contain lanolin - as a substance that preserves the integrity of the wool fibers. In addition, the product must match the type of washing you decide to use. Here, for example, is what housewives are actively buying today for similar purposes:
- liquid gel-like detergents for washing woolen products – Laska “Wool and Silk”, “Vorsinka”, “Meine Liebe”, AlmaWin, etc.
- balms “Wool Care from Miele” or “Frosch”;
- and for cleaning at the preliminary stage, fabric-friendly stain removers such as “Vanish Oxy Action” are usually recommended.
For hand washing, you can also use regular hair shampoo. Of course, it is not at all necessary that it contain any special additives or oils. In this case, your choice should only be guided by the pleasant smell of the shampoo and its not too runny consistency. You can also take liquid soap or even powder, but for children's things.
Cleaning
Sometimes this procedure can replace washing. It's easier and won't take much time.
To clean a blanket (we are, of course, talking about a woven product), use a gel containing lanolin. So:
- Pour some warm water into a small container.
- Dissolve the gel in it.
- Shake the water vigorously - you'll want a high lather.
- Apply foam to the contaminated areas of the product with a cloth or brush and leave for a few minutes.
- Then remove it with a clean cloth.
- After this, let your blanket dry.
Is it possible to wash a fur blanket made from natural sheepskin?
Definitely not. At home, such a product can only be shaken off, vacuumed, ventilated, and dry cleaned using a not too hard dry brush. Local contaminated areas can be cleaned with foam and a sponge, as described above. In all other cases, products are cleaned in specialized salons.
